“No more, Annie! I am happy to settle for five sons, and the bonniest wife in Ireland! I don’t want to lose you, love.”
She smiled weakly and patted his hand. Then suddenly she re- membered her promise. “Skye…” she began weakly.
For a moment he looked puzzled, then his brow cleared. “Skye’ Ah, yes! The wedding is scheduled for tomorrow. You’d not have it called off, eh love? Well, don’t worry, Annie. Skye will be wed tomorrow, never fear. You just rest and get strong, and if you’re awake before tomorrow evening I’ll send the bride and groom in to visit you.”
She tried to speak, tried to tell him that he must call it off, that the wedding of Skye and Dom would be a terrible mistake. But the herbs and exhaustion had taken effect. Anne struggled to speak, but could not. Her eyes slowly closed and she couldn’t open them again. Anne O’Malley had fallen into a deep, drug-induced sleep.
Chapter 2
Dubhdara O’Malley stood looking down at his sleeping daugh- ter. It shocked even him to realize how beautiful Skye really was, and he wished he had the name and the fortune to assure her a nobler husband than young O’Flaherty.
He bore no love for the English, but he knew mat their royal court was at this moment the center of the earth, and he thought how Skye would shine there.
Still, he hadn’t done badly by her. Her husband would be the next chief of the Ballyhennessey O’Flahertys, and Skye would be mother to the chief after Dom. He had her safely settled. He’d miss her, though. Well, he chuckled to himself, why not admit he had a special place in his heart for the lass? She was pure O’Malley. Himself in female form, and like none of his other children.
For a few minutes more he watched her in silent wonder, and men he gently shook her by the shoulder. “Wake up, Skye! Wake up, lassie.”